119th Congress
Subramanyam and Timmons Release New Report on Deadly DCA Crash and DOD Use of Civilian Airspace
WASHINGTON—Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs Chairman William Timmons (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Suhas Subramanyam (D-Va.) today released a staff report titled, “The DCA Incident: Assessing the Military’s Role in the National Airspace Tragedy.” The report analyzes how the fatal mid-air collision between American Airlines flight 5342 and a U.S. Army UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter occurred and determined what failures – procedural, regulatory, or operational – within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) may have contributed to the crash. Following the Military and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee’s investigation, it is recommending that the DoD Inspector General conduct a comprehensive evaluation of all operations in civilian airspace within the United States with an emphasis on safety, coordination, and compliance.
“The tragic accident at DCA on January 29th and thirty near misses overall have revealed that the military’s current operations fall woefully short of keeping both military personnel and American civilians safe in Washington, D.C. airspace. Several briefings on this issue have highlighted the pressing need for clearer military flight protocols, enhanced training, and regular audits of flight operations and capabilities within the DoD. It is crucial that military personnel are given the tools and training they need to navigate this complex airspace and prevent accidents and miscommunications like these from ever happening again. The Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs remains committed to this investigation and is upholding its responsibility to conduct oversight of U.S. military operations to ensure that both members of the military and civilians remain safe when sharing the nation’s skies,” said the lawmakers.
Below are key findings from the report:
- Communication issues between the Black Hawk and the tower contributed to the January 29th crash: On March 11, 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its Aviation Investigation Preliminary Report. The findings of this report indicate that discrepancies in altitudes were reported by the pilot and the instructor pilot of the Black Hawk. Similarly, the report mentions that seventeen seconds before the collision, the tower directed the Black Hawk to ‘pass behind the’ Canadair Regional Jet (CRJ). However, according to the helicopter’s cockpit voice recorder (CVR), a portion of ‘pass behind the’ may not have been heard by the crew.
- Night vision goggles (NVGs) limited the Black Hawk pilots’ ability to see the American Airlines plane on January 29th: NVGs make it especially difficult to see peripherally and during flights with excessive bright light, like that seen coming from Washington and DCA. In an investigative hearing held by NTSB, Dr. Stephen Casner, a human factors expert, testified that when an aircraft is approaching head-on, it will not appear to be moving closer, and this approaching aircraft often looks the same as buildings and other objects while wearing NVGs, making it extremely difficult for pilots to detect oncoming traffic. Likewise, NVGs make it nearly impossible to detect color, which is critical when trying to detect the red and green anti-collision lights positioned on the side of aircraft.
- Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Out was not transmitting on the Black Hawk, preventing other aircraft and the public from detecting it on January 29th: Rick Dressler of Metro Aviation, which operates medical helicopters, stated during the NTSB hearing that his company’s goal of maintaining “extra vigilance” while transporting critically ill passengers is “an extreme challenge when those aircraft [military helicopters] are not usually transmitting ADS-B” meaning the company “can’t see them on his traffic system” and has to rely on see and avoid methods. The NTSB’s investigation is still ongoing, and it is still being evaluated whether having ADS-B Out transmitting would have made a difference on the night of the January 29th collision.
- The Army lacks certain knowledge of DCA airspace: Chief Warrant Officer Five David Van Vechten stated during the NTSB hearing that Army Black Hawk pilots are not trained on fixed-wing aircraft approaches to DCA runways, and this is based on “personal knowledge.” Additionally, when asked if there was a unit he was concerned about, Dressler of Metro Aviation, stated that when flying, the 12th Aviation Battalion, the unit of the U.S. Army Aviation Branch to which the Black Hawk was assigned, make his company “uncomfortable” due to what he described as “gross misunderstandings” of the airspace, including instances of military helicopters landing on MedSTAR helipads without prior notice.
- The DoD to DCA hotline was offline, preventing direct communication between the Pentagon and DCA, showing the broader breakdown of critical air traffic coordination: This hotline, maintained by DoD, was severed during the construction of a new air traffic control tower at the Pentagon. Previously, the hotline was used to allow for seamless communication between the Pentagon’s air traffic controllers and DCA’s. FAA Aviation officials only discovered the hotline was offline after the May 1 near miss incident, when two commercial jets were forced to abandon their approaches to DCA due to an Army Black Hawk occupying the airspace.
Based on the findings, the Subcommittee on Military and Foreign Affairs is recommending that the DoD Inspector General conduct a broad evaluation of the DoD’s use of U.S. civilian airspace and its adherence to established aviation safety protocols. Such an evaluation would provide Congress and the public with an independent assessment of risks and opportunities to strengthen safety in shared airspace.
Read the report here.
Read the letter to Inspector General Moring here.
Rep. Subramanyam Statement on Escalating Violence in Bangladesh
U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) said:
"I am concerned by the escalating violence in Bangladesh following the killing of Sharif Osman Hadi, a youth leader who planned to run for parliament. In the aftermath of his death, newspaper offices have been burned and further loss of life has been reported.
I am deeply troubled by the lynching of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu factory worker in Bangladesh, who was lynched after being accused of blasphemy. This act of violence is appalling, and must be investigated. Since the recent change in government, accounts of attacks against Hindu and other minority communities have increased, including on homes and temples. In light of this violence, I remain committed to promoting stability and to protecting Hindus and minority communities in Bangladesh and around the world."
Two Bipartisan Subramanyam Bills Signed into Law as Part of Annual Defense Legislation
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) announced that two of his bipartisan bills have been signed into law. The two bills are the Korean American Divided Families National Registry Act and the Contaminated Wells Relocation Act. These two bills were signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which President Trump signed last night.
“Thousands of Korean American families in Virginia and across the country have been forcibly torn apart from their loved ones by the Korean War for more than seven decades,” said Congressman Suhas Subramanyam. “This bipartisan law will bring these families one step closer to a long-overdue reunion. I thank all the Korean American families who have shared their stories with me and who helped get this legislation over the finish line.”
“I’ve heard from Korean Americans in Virginia about how their families were separated after the Korean War. That's why I'm glad that my bipartisan bill to help facilitate their reunification passed and was signed into law,” said U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA).
The Korean American Divided Families National Registry Act, now law, will accelerate family reunifications by directing the U.S. Department of State to compile information about Korean American families who want to reconnect with relatives in North Korea to enable future family reunions. The law, co-introduced with Congresswoman Young Kim (R-CA-40), also directs the State Department to prioritize progress on arranging future reunions for Korean American families and their relatives in North Korea in any future bilateral discussions with North Korea.
Rep. Subramanyam continued, “The people in the town of Chincoteague will soon get some relief from unnecessary burdens to allow the town and NASA to come to an agreement on the costs of relocating contaminated water wells. Safe drinking water is a right, and I am glad this bipartisan, bicameral law will make life better for fellow Virginians.”
The Contaminated Wells Relocation Act, co-introduced with Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (R-VA-02),will authorize NASA to reimburse the town of Chincoteague for the costs associated with the removal of contaminated wells, as well as the relocation of these wells to a safe location free from groundwater contamination. From the late 1970s to 1988, the Navy conducted fire training activities on Navy-owned land on the north-central portion of Wallops Island, using a common firefighting foam that contained PFAS compounds.
Congressman Subramanyam's Statement on Attack at Bondi Beach
“Hanukkah is a yearly celebration of light and miracles, and yet the Jewish community was deliberately targeted and attacked at Bondi Beach in Australia, where families were gathered to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah.
We must call out the rise in antisemitism and threats to the Jewish community in our country and around the world. We cannot let this hate win.
My prayers are with the families of the victims and with the Commonwealth’s Jewish community this week. We must always push back against hate and make people of all faiths and backgrounds feel safe.”
Rep. Subramanyam Votes to Restore Collective Bargaining Rights for Almost a Million Federal Workers
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) joined members from both parties in voting to repeal President Trump’s executive order that stripped union rights from almost one million federal workers.
“This administration has lived up to their promise to make federal workers ‘traumatically affected,’ with firings, reductions in force, and the closure of whole offices within departments. The president’s executive order stripping collective bargaining rights from federal workers was another insult to thousands of our neighbors who are civil servants,” said Rep. Subramanyam. “Repealing this executive order will ensure federal workers maintain their right to fight for competitive pay and benefits. We want to retain these hardworking employees who could be making more money in the private sector, and collective bargaining is a key component of retention.”
President Trump’s March 27 Executive Order, “Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs,” sought to end collective bargaining with unions at the departments of Defense, State, Veterans Affairs, Justice and Energy, and some workers at the departments of Homeland Security, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Interior and Agriculture. The order affected hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act would fully repeal the executive order and guarantee that the federal government honors union contracts in place at the time it was made.
Rep. Subramanyam concluded, “The Senate must pass this bill as soon as possible to restore workers’ rights to thousands of federal employees.”
Rep. Subramanyam Applauds Senate Introduction of His Bill to Support Family Farmers and Grow Agritourism
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10), co-chair of the bipartisan Congressional Agritourism Caucus and primary sponsor of the AGRITOURISM Act, released the following statement after Senate introduction of a companion to Rep. Subramanyam’s bill:
“I thank Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ted Budd (R-NC) for introducing the companion to my legislation for the first time in the Senate. I look forward to working with my House and Senate colleagues to pass this legislation to support our agritourism farmers and contribute to the resiliency of small-town America. Agritourism is a booming industry in Virginia and critical to our local economy. From wineries to ranches, breweries, distilleries, and farm stands, our farmers deserve dedicated resources within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make sure they have everything they need to be successful.”
Rep. Subramanyam introduced the bipartisan Accelerating the Growth of Rural Innovation and Tourism Opportunities to Uphold Rural Industries and Sustainable Marketplaces (AGRITOURISM) Act earlier this year. The bill would create an Office of Agritourism at USDA to represent the interests of agritourism businesses in federal policymaking and consolidate federal resources to sustain agritourism businesses, such as loans, grants, and broadband connectivity programs.
Virginia Delegation Statement On NDAA Rotary Wing Aircraft Provision
Today U.S. Representatives Suhas Subramanyam, Don Beyer, James Walkinshaw, Bobby Scott, Jennifer McClellan, and Eugene Vindman, Members of Congress representing Virginia, issued the following statement on Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2026, which addresses “Manned Rotary Wing Aircraft Safety” in the wake of the January 29, 2025 mid-air collision at Ronald Reagan National Airport that took 67 lives:
“We share serious concerns raised by the Families of Flight 5342 and the National Transportation Safety Board about Section 373 of the National Defense Authorization Act related to safety in the airspace around National Airport following the tragic collision in January. We are deeply disappointed that this provision, which only applies to training flights, creates a waiver process to allow training flights in the region that further congest the airspace, an issue that contributed to January’s deadly crash.
“This provision falls short of NTSB’s preliminary safety recommendations and omits changes that are essential to improve visibility, safety, and communications between military and civilian aircraft in D.C. airspace. Further action is needed to prevent a repetition of the mistakes that led to this incident, and we will continue working with all possible speed on legislative solutions with our colleagues and transportation officials to get this right before any waivers are issued, and to ensure air safety in the region.”
Congressman Subramanyam Raises Concerns Over Imran Khan's Condition
“I am concerned by reports that members of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s family went weeks without establishing direct contact with him, raising fears that he may have suffered irreversible harm. While it was later reported that Mr. Khan is in stable physical condition, he largely remains in solitary confinement with limited communication to others.
I will continue to monitor these developments, and reaffirm my commitment to justice, human rights, and democracy around the world."
Rep. Subramanyam Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Help First-Time Homebuyers Save for a Downpayment
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (VA-10) and Ashley Hinson (IA-02) introduced a bipartisan bill that will help first-time homebuyers with a down payment on a home. The First Home Savings Opportunity Act establishes tax-deductible first-time homebuyer savings accounts to assist individuals and families saving for a downpayment.
“Purchasing a home has become out of reach for far too many Americans because of housing costs, especially for young adults,” said Rep. Subramanyam. “We must preserve the American dream of home ownership and take action now in Congress. This commonsense legislation will make purchasing a home a little easier for first-time homebuyers. There is more Congress needs to do to address the affordability crisis, but this is an important step in the right direction.”
“Buying a home is the core milestone of living out the American Dream, but it has become out of reach for hardworking families. By allowing families to save tax-free to buy a home, we’ll help more families be able to afford their dream home. I’ll continue working to improve housing access and affordability in Iowa and across the country,” said Rep. Hinson.
The First Home Savings Opportunity Act would allow eligible participants to contribute up to $10,000 per year tax-free ($20,000 for joint filers) to a savings account. These funds would be used exclusively for a downpayment and closing costs on a first home, offering some relief to potential homebuyers and removing a significant barrier to entering the housing market.
“The First Home Savings Opportunity Act of 2025 is a smart, forward-thinking solution to one of the most significant barriers facing young families and first-time home buyers: saving for a down payment. Expanding access to stable, attainable housing strengthens our workforce, supports local businesses, and builds more resilient communities. The Loudoun Chamber is proud to support this effort to offer more hardworking Americans the opportunity to achieve the dream of homeownership,” said Tony Howard, President of the Loudoun Chamber of Commerce.
“Recent data show that nearly half of potential homebuyers cannot afford a down payment, as the median age of first-time homebuyers, now 40, continues to rise. For generations, access to homeownership has been the primary way Americans built wealth, and homeownership remains the cornerstone of the American Dream. The bipartisan First Home Savings Opportunity Act would help turn aspiration into action, turning modest savings into the foundation of lifelong stability. The National Association of REALTORS® is grateful that Representatives Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) and Ashley Hinson (R-IA) have introduced this bill to address these challenges by establishing tax-deductible, first-time homebuyer savings accounts, helping individuals and families save for a down payment and closing costs,” said Shannon McGahn, National Association of REALTORS® Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy Officer.
In addition to introducing the First Home Savings Opportunity Act, Congressman Subramanyam has taken the following actions to bring down housing costs:
- Secured $1,000,000 for Hero’s Bridge to construct affordable housing for aging veterans living in rural Virginia in this year's spending bills.
- Secured $1,200,000 for Northern Virginia Community College to construct a Center for Building and Construction Trades to develop a skilled construction workforce for Northern Virginia in this year's spending bills.
- Co-sponsored the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act to expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.
- Co-sponsored the CONSTRUCTS Act to establish a grant program for junior/community colleges and technical education schools to develop residential construction industry training and education.
- Co-sponsored the Housing Supply Frameworks Act to provide best housing practices for housing production and housing opportunities with respect to state and local zoning frameworks.
- Co-sponsored the Saving the American Dream Act to better coordinate relevant housing-related research and market data.
- Co-sponsored the Housing Financial Literacy Act that will give first time homebuyers a discount on mortgage premiums if they complete a financial literacy housing counseling course before purchasing a home.
Congressman Subramanyam is a member of the Real Estate Caucus and the New Democrat Coalition’s Task Force on Housing, Transportation, and Infrastructure. Rep. Subramanyam spoke about his housing bill on the House floor and his speech can be found here.
Rep. Subramanyam Statement on One Year Anniversary of the Fall of Assad and Repeal of Caesar Sanctions in NDAA
"I’m pleased to see the repeal of the 2019 Caesar Sanctions included in this year’s defense bill, which the House of Representatives will vote on this week.
This moment also coincides with the one-year anniversary of the fall of the Assad regime. As a co-sponsor of the legislation to repeal these sanctions, this is a step toward giving Syria a chance to build a stable and secure country. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to continue supporting the Syrian people as they pursue a brighter, democratic, and free future."